What is Fair trade?

Fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

Fair trade standards comprise both minimum social, economic and environmental requirements, which producers must meet to be certified, plus progress requirements that encourage continuous improvement to develop farmers’ organizations or the situation of estate workers.

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Honor the earth & each other.


Fair Tade : A Human Journey

In 350 captivating photographs, this book takes us to the four corners of the planet and right into the lives of the women and men – artisans, peasants, workers – who produce various commodities that are part of our daily lives, people at the bottom of the chain of production who are thirsting for justice. Through light-filled and colorful landscapes as well as intimate and affecting portraits, this journey around the world in 15 countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America presents 14 fair trade sectors – from the most common, such as handicrafts, coffee and cocoa, to the lesser known, such as shea butter, quinoa and guarana. The author introduces us to producers, describes the processing chain for each product, outlines the advantages and challenges of an option based on solidarity and helps us discover the true face of fair trade: women and men who are building a fairer world.

“Fair trade proposes an alternative that is based on ideas of social justice, product quality and care for the environment. […] This book is a sign of hope that another world is possible.”

Dr. Francisco Van der Hoff, member of UCIRI, in Mexico,and co-founder of the Netherlands’ Max Havelaar label